High Voltage
by Misfit Writer
Summary: Peter has realized that he can't stay away from Gwen, but when a new big bad comes to town, it just might backfire on him. Starts immediately after The Amazing Spiderman movie.
1. The Best Kind

Okay, this is the result of going to see The Amazing Spiderman twice…last night and then this afternoon haha. My husband and I were seriously considering going back once we got home last night but decided against it ;-) I have decided that this movie is infinitely better than the older series, from the actors to the stories. All around fantastic, and it has been stuck in my head ever since. I hope you enjoy this, please let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: Not mine, if it was the movie would've kept going ;)

((This chapter is a bit filler-ish, tying the movie with the story. Action will be soon I promise ;) ))

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"But those are the best kind…" Peter murmured in response to the teacher's reprimand. Gwen's heart fluttered at his words; the last time they'd spoken, Peter had looked ready to cry and Gwen had felt her heart shattering. For the first time in a week, hope began to peek through the clouds hanging over her head.

That night, the night she'd lost her father as well as her boyfriend, felt like a lifetime ago. She cried every day for her father, but the greatest loneliness came from being without Peter. She was always so aware of his presence…right behind her or beside her…so close, but so far. She needed him to be there for her, and she needed to be there for him. She was the only one who knew why he was late all the time to one class or another. She was the only one who knew what caused the bruises and cuts on his body, or why he still had a minor limp. It had been painful to see how badly he'd been injured that night and know that he hadn't come to her for help like he'd done before. She wasn't sure how he'd been treated or if Aunt May now knew the truth, but she knew that she'd hated how attuned she was now to him.

Until now. Hearing him say he was prepared to break the promise lifted a massive weight from her shoulders. The class took far too long to end, and as soon as the bell rang she was out of her seat and out the door. She could hear Peter immediately behind her, so she ducked into the empty school newspaper office and waited for him to shut the door behind them before turning to face him.

Peter turned her around and backed her up to the door before devouring her lips with his own. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kisses with equal passion, pouring the pent up energy from the past week into it. They pulled back at the same time and allowed their foreheads to rest against each other's. "Gwen…I…I'm so sorry," he murmured. "I…I didn't give you the…the chance to make the choice for…for yourself and for that I am so sorry." She grinned at him, her heart swelling at the way he stumbled over his words like he did when he was nervous.

"I'm so glad that you understand now. If there is anything that I've learned from losing my dad, it's that I don't care about the danger. I can't be without you. I love you, Peter Parker. Please don't shut me out anymore."

Peter cradled her face in his hands. "I promise, I won't shut you out again. I love you too. And I want you to know…I was there…at the funeral." His voice grew thick with emotion and Gwen had to fight back tears. "Your father gave up everything so that I could save the city. He died to help me…to protect me. I wouldn't be here without him. I couldn't face you after what he asked of me, but I couldn't…not be there." He swallowed hard. "He was a great man. It kills me to think about the fact that he's dead because of me."

Gwen kissed him firmly, gripping his chin to force him to met her gaze. "You are not allowed to blame yourself Peter. My father lived to protect this city, and he understood that you were a big part of that…bigger maybe than the police are sometimes. He would not want you to blame yourself for what happened. Do you understand me?" she demanded. As Peter nodded, tears finally slid down his face. She hated to see him in pain, and her own pain magnified the frustration. She kissed him again, but pulled back when he tensed. She searched his face and saw that his eyes were unfocused and he turned his ear towards the window. She knew that look. "Go…I'll take notes for you. Be careful." That goofy lopsided grin of his make her heart flutter, and he gave her another brief and passionate kiss before running over to the window and slinking out of it silently. Gwen shut the window behind him and sighed heavily. It was going to be a long couple of periods until he returned.

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Gwen was sitting at her computer desk, trying uselessly to focus on her homework. Peter hadn't called her yet and it had been six hours since he'd vanished. She'd decided to not watch the news…if they were showing something involving Spiderman, she wouldn't be able to bear seeing it. Just as she was about to start typing up a random blog that she heard a light tap on her window. Her heart leapt into her throat and she rushed over to let him in. "Oh thank God, are you okay?"

Peter climbed in to her room only slightly favoring his left arm. "I'm fine, just a little banged up," he responded with a wince. She grabbed the first aid kit from her desk and ushered him to the bed. Gwen gently pulled his suit away and cringed at the sight of a jagged cut above his elbow. Peter followed her gaze and made a guilty face. "It's not as bad as it looks, I promise. I heal a little bit faster than normal so it doesn't hurt that much."

Gwen paused in reaching for an alcohol wipe to raise an eyebrow at him. "That's what you're going to go with? Peter, you are a horrible liar. I have seen injuries that don't really bother you, so just shut up and let me patch you up."

Peter couldn't help but grin, despite the fact that his arm stung like hell. That was one of the things he loved most about Gwen; she never took crap from him and knew how to put him in his place. As he watched her clean his wound, though, his smile faded. "I'm sorry, Gwen. After losing your father I have no right to put you through this all over again. Keeping you up waiting, asking you to patch me up. I just…I didn't know where else to turn. I don't think Aunt May could handle seeing me all bruised and bloodied one more time."

Gwen continued to dab the wound methodically, "Peter, first of all you didn't ask, I just did. And second of all, I told you I couldn't keep you out of my life anymore. Aunt May doesn't need to see or know about this every night. I prefer to be the one to take care of you, to be able to know for myself how you are." She sighed and looked up at him, fighting down the butterflies at the way he was watching her, as if he was mesmerized by her. "I have tried to convince myself so many times that it's not worth the stress and won't be worth the pain if something happens to you…but it doesn't matter. I worry about you no matter what. At least now…I can count on you coming to me instead of having to wait til the next time you come to school to know if you're okay."

Peter nodded, grimacing when she began wrapping the cut with gauze. "I've been trying to work up the nerve to tell Aunt May about all of this. I think part of her already knows…after the…the big showdown with Dr. Connors, she didn't ask me what happened. She saw everything on the news, and I think she just knew when she saw me. She doesn't give me a hard time for staying out late if it's something that's on the news anymore…but I just can't voice it."

Gwen smiled affectionately. "It might give her some peace, you know. Tell her the truth, call her on the way over here when you get yourself hurt. Keep her in the loop, you know?" Peter nodded as she finished her work. Before she could pull back, he leaned forward and kissed her tenderly.

"Thank you. I'm lost without you." That sexy, charming smile was back and melted her heart. She kissed him again before drawing his suit back up over his arms. She watched him as he leaned back and rotated his arm, testing its functionality. The nod of approval was satisfying, and she packed up her first aid kit. "I have to go home," he murmured guiltily. Gwen nodded and stood. For a moment, she let her gaze soak up the sight of the young man in front of her. The phrase _gotta love a man in uniform_ crossed her mind; never had she seen anything sexier than Peter standing in her room in his suit, his mask off and grinning at her in that way that he does.

Finally she met his gaze, blushing furiously when he raised an eyebrow at her obvious gawking. "Y-yeah…can't keep A-Aunt May waiting all night," she stuttered. Peter nodded, and then used his web shooter to draw her against him. Before she could gain her bearings, he cradled her face in one hand and tugged her flush against his body with the other and was kissing her like he had that first night. Her blood began to hum in her veins, her body becoming sensitive to the way that he was holding her. Peter's fingers burned into her hip, and it took everything in her power not to strip his suit away again. A soft whimper escaped her lips, and his twisted into a smile against hers at the sound.

"God I have missed you so much. Never again…I'm not going to let you go ever again," he breathed between kisses. Gwen lingered for one more moment before pulling back and pushing him towards the window. "I'll see you tomorrow," he promised before vanishing onto her fire escape. Gwen dropped onto her bed, her hand over her racing heart.

"Yep…definitely in trouble."


	2. Volt

One thing I want to make sure that I say is that I do not know anything about the comics (Except for what I looked up about Gwen, and I'm going to pretend I never read that!) so any similarities in villains are unintentional. I've got the story planned out entirely, but just have to make sure it gets out right ;) I want to say thank you for the great response! It is incredibly encouraging, and I hope you keep enjoying it!

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Peter approached his house hesitantly, his nerves threatening to get the better of him. He'd decided to tell Aunt May the truth, and was terrified of facing her. He knew she would be upset with him for risking himself so frequently, especially after Uncle Ben, but he couldn't hide the truth from her any longer. With a deep breath, he adjusted his backpack and his jacket, and trudged up the stairs.

"Peter! Oh, thank goodness, I have been so worried! Are you okay?" Aunt May rambled when he opened the door. Her eyes scanned his face and his body quickly, taking in his scraped and bruised skin with tears in her eyes.

Peter nodded, and took her hand. "I'm okay. Aunt May, I need to show you something." He led her to the couch, and urged her to sit down. He took the seat beside her and unzipped his bag with a shaking hand. The fabric of his uniform felt like it weighed a ton as he pulled it free.

When he looked up at his last remaining family member, tears had begun streaming down her face. "Oh, Peter…honey I know. I'm so proud of you for telling me the truth. Why…why are you doing this to yourself?" she questioned, her voice trembling.

Peter dropped his gaze to the floor. "Uncle Ben told me that my father lived by the principle that it is our responsibility to do what we are able for others. I…I have these…these new abilities, and when I look at the people caught up in these disasters, I know that it is my responsibility to help them…because I can, and sometimes _only_ I can. It…it didn't start that way, but I want to do right by Uncle Ben…by my dad."

A gentle hand on his cheek drew Peter's attention back to the woman who had raised him. "I wish it didn't have to be you, but I understand. And I can tell you, your uncle has _always _been proud of you," she insisted gently. "I saw the news…your arm?"

It took Peter a moment to shake himself from his surprise at her response. "Uh…Gwen cleaned it up for me. It'll be better by tomorrow, don't worry."

Aunt May nodded, and looked down. "I'm glad you made up with her. I love you and I want you to be happy, but please be careful Peter." He nodded with a small smile. "Go and get some rest. Keep me informed if something happens, okay?"

"I will. I love you, Aunt May. Thank you," he murmured, leaning forward to kiss her on the cheek. She caught him in a hug and he felt her shake lightly with her tears. "I will be careful, I promise." With that, he grabbed his backpack and made his way upstairs. When he fell into his bed, he was asleep mere seconds after his head hit the pillow.

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The next day at school seemed to drag for Peter. Every class that he had with Gwen, all he could focus on was the fact that she was so close, but not allowed to touch her. He wanted to continue what they'd started last night, but he really couldn't afford to get into any more trouble considering how many times he'd been late in the past two weeks. The way that she kept glancing his direction told him that she felt the same way. He felt like a giddy little kid all over again, and when he was around her he always wanted to be in contact with her. When he sat behind her, he rested his foot against the back of her shoe. When they were walking in the halls, they were holding hands or he was touching her back or she was touching his arm (this particular day, it seemed as though she was testing the healing more than anything else, but he really didn't mind). During lunch, both of them were too distracted to eat, so they sat in a secluded little nook, talking and kissing and holding hands until the bell rang again.

It was when they were walking home from school together that Peter felt it…that strange sensation that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Someone somewhere was in trouble, and that meant he had to send Gwen home alone and go to the rescue. She spotted a dark alley that he could change in, gave him a brief kiss, told him to be careful, and guarded the alley until she knew that he was up and out safely. As she watched him swing from building to building, she smiled to herself and pride swelled in her.

When Peter arrived at the scene of the trouble, he knew it wasn't going to end well. There was a man standing on the edge of a bridge with a school bus teetering precariously over the water. If not for the man balancing it just enough with his hands, it would have already plummeted into the river with all of what looked like middle school kids trapped inside. Peter gracefully dropped to the pavement in front of the man, trying to find any clues to let him know if he was a superhuman or something else entirely. "Hasn't anyone ever told you that you should pick on someone your own size?" he called out.

"I was beginning to think that you would never show up. I've got a little test for you, _Spiderman_. I want to see if you are as amazing as they claim. I am going to let go of this bus. You can either come after me, or you can save these children," the stranger stated, far too calm for Peter's liking. The sensation in his neck had intensified and was making his skin crawl.

"Why are you doing this? Who are you?" Peter demanded, straightening to his full height. The man before him laughed.

"I am Volt, and I am determining if you are a worthy opponent. I have great plans for this wonderful city; if you fail to be the big hero here, there will be nothing for me to worry about when the time comes to unveil my plan. If you succeed and survive, then I must plan accordingly to ensure you do not stop me. So what will it be, _Spiderman_?" he taunted.

"Well I can tell you're well adjusted," Peter muttered under his breath. He was frantically planning out how to stop the bus from going into the river, before Volt let go. "No!" he shouted, though he knew it was useless. Instantly, he shot web after web at the back of the bus as he ran, ignoring the retreating villain. He knew the biocable would hold the bus, but the edge of the bridge was already crumbling under the weight of the bus. "Damnit!" he growled as the weight strained his arms. He continuously attached strands to the collapsing bridge to keep the bus as level as possible and to reduce the strain on his arms; he would be useless if he tore every muscle and tendon.

The back door of the bus opened and the driver leaned out. "Oh my God, am I glad to see you!" he shouted. "Okay, kids, lets go! Out and as far away as you can get to the right!" Peter was grateful for the man's ability to keep his cool, when the situation was desperately grim. As fast as he was attaching new cables, the bridge was crumbling. As the school kids scrambled out of the bus, it continued to shift and pull him harder until he wasn't sure if he could handle it anymore.

The driver continued to boost the kids out of the drooping vehicle, his face growing more and more determined. He looked at Peter, and smiled grimly. "Only two left, man!" Peter nodded but still didn't speak. With as hard as his body was strained with the weight, he wasn't sure he could force his voice to work anyway.

The second that the driver ducked out of sight, Peter felt something wrap itself around his chest and his entire body became one single, overpowering mass of agony. His voice theory was proven wrong when a jagged scream tore from his throat, and he thought back to the day that he was putting together his shooters and got shocked. As much as that had smarted, that pain was like getting tickled in comparison. He felt the bus lurch and immediately returned his attention and resolve to holding it long enough for the two kids and driver to run to safety. Everything was quaking…his hands, his legs, even the ground beneath his feet. Over the sound of his own voice turning from a scream to a battle cry and the crackling electricity that was licking into his body, he heard the driver yell that they were out, and then yell to Volt to stop.

"G-get those kids…out of h-here," Peter growled as he let go of the bus. At that same time, he felt the electricity stop and watched numbly as what looked like a whip or vine uncoiled from his chest, turning him as it did. The young hero felt his world begin to dim out, his vision blurring as Volt chuckled from his vantage point high up on the bridge support system, the vine seeming to retract into his wrist. He was going to question what was so funny-that is if he could find the strength to speak-when his world tilted. For a moment he thought his legs had simply given out, but when he heard the children call out his alter-ego's name, he realized that the bridge had crumbled under his feet, and he was falling.

Peter's last conscious thought was that the two women he loved were worrying about him right now, if the helicopter above him was any indication of news presence. He never registered hitting the water.


	3. Teenage Hero

Oh man I am seriously on a roll! If you haven't noticed (those of you who found this beforehand), I changed the titled from Trouble to High Voltage. I realized that there was already a story with the same title, so I didn't want to steal any thunder ;) It had been a rushed title, as is this one kind of, because I can't pick one that I really like and seems to fit with my story. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know! Also, please please please let me know what you think! I'm a little nervous about how it's coming across to you guys, whether you think it's believable within the Spiderman world. Thank you for all of the alerts and favorites and reviews, you guys rock!

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The moment that the ground fell away from where Peter was standing, Gwen rushed to the bathroom and was violently sick. Her mother and brothers didn't know why she was really so upset; they assumed it was just the reality of the situation that turned her stomach. Tears streamed non-stop down her face as she imagined a world where Peter was taken from her for good. There was no way even Peter's rapid healing could save him from what just happened. The day after she'd gotten him back, he was ripped away.

Even still, she was determined to be there when they pulled his body from the water. She had to see him, one last time, to say goodbye. She ignored the questions from her family as she rushed out the door and hailed a cab and told the driver to rush to the bridge.

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The bus driver, David, stared in horror at the spot that Spiderman had just been occupying. He'd saved the kids on the bus, as well as himself, and had endured pain no normal human being would've been able to in order to get each and every one of them out. It wasn't fair for it to end like this…and on top of it all, the voice had sounded young, like his teenage son. The monster responsible had left with a flourish, laughing triumphantly. He looked around and pointed at a group of men standing near him. "Can you guys help me? We've gotta go down there and get Spiderman…he doesn't deserve an end like this!" The guys nodded and followed him as he scrambled to the end of the bridge and down to a pier. By the time they reached the end, a couple was already pulling the still body of Spiderman off of their boat and resting him gently on the ground. "Is he alive?"

The man shook his head sadly. "I don't think so…he's not breathing."

David cursed under his breath, and felt his neck. "He's got a really weak pulse!" he cried. Immediately, he began CPR, praying for the masked hero to survive. "C'mon…" he paused to strip the mask off to provide a clearer airway, and faltered. "Jesus…" The low whistles and soft curses let him know that he wasn't the only one in shock. "I know this kid…he's a junior at my son's high school…" That thought spurred David back into action, more fervent this time. He'd be damned if he gave up on seventeen-year-old Peter Parker, if that seventeen year old refused to give up on him. Each time he shoved against the kid's chest, he cursed whoever the guy was responsible.

Just as he was beginning to give up hope, two things happened simultaneously: a girl, whom he recognized to be the late chief of police's daughter, rushed down the pier, and Peter heaved against his hands. Immediately David turned him on his side, only letting him go when he curled in on himself and tried to prop himself up on his elbow. He caught the kid again, though, when the strain from holding the bus proved to be too much and he began to drop back to the pier because his arm gave out. "Easy, kid, I've got you. Just get all of the water out," he murmured.

He looked up when the Stacey girl dropped to her knees opposite him and crouched down to Peter's level. "Oh, God…I thought for sure you were dead!" David rocked back on his heels and allowed her to take over with the young man. Clearly there was something going on there, judging by her tears and the fact that she was unphased by the lack of mask.

Peter gave a few more wet, ragged coughs before he tried to smile. "S-so did I," he responded breathlessly. His forehead dropped against hers for a moment before his whole body visibly tensed. "My mask…"

David held it out to the girl. "I had to take it off so that you could breathe. I…I don't even know how to thank you for saving those kids…for saving me. I've never seen anything like what you did for us…nothing can ever repay that. Your secret is safe, I swear it," he murmured, holding Peter's gaze once the young hero turned in her arms. The other men and women around them nodded as well, and David helped the girl guide him to his feet. Peter nodded gratefully before slipping the mask back over his head. As he watched the two make their way slowly back to the street, David couldn't help the amazement that filled him at the young man. He began to clap, and was joined quickly by everyone on the pier. Peter's head dipped and he paused for a moment, but didn't turn before they began moving again.

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Gwen felt Peter's body tremble against her as he struggled to maintain his footing. She knew that he wanted to get out of the view of the public before showing any more weakness, but she wished he would stop being so stubborn. He was clearly in immense pain if the tremors and groans were any indication, and still he had to look strong for the people he was trying to protect.

"Almost there," she murmured, hating how cold his skin was. The setting sun wasn't helping much either. "I moved your backpack to a closer spot," she explained as she turned him down a different alley. The second they were out of the view of bystanders, she felt his knees buckle and a low moan escaped his lips. "Easy, easy…I'm going to lean you against this wall, can you stay up long enough for me to get your mask and gloves off?" He nodded, and so she reached up and gently removed the mask after making sure they were still alone. His eyes and jaw were clenched against the pain and fatigue, but he looked down at her when she touched his cheek lightly. "I was so afraid I'd lost you today, Peter," she murmured. "But you are a hero…you're _my_ hero, and I am _so proud_ of you."

The hard lines of his grimacing face softened as he smiled at her the best that he could. She knew he was too exhausted to speak, so she grabbed his backpack and pulled out the hoodie and jeans that would cover up the suit, and then stuffed the mask back in the bag. His gloves were removed quickly and the backpack was slung over her back before she returned to Peter. Once again his body had started to shake with the effort of keeping himself upright, so she ducked under his arm to take on his weight as quickly as possible. He stumbled every few steps, so Gwen decided to hail a taxi now that he didn't look like Spiderman anymore.

She decided to take him to his own house, knowing how suspicious her family would be if she showed up with an injured Peter after freaking out over Spiderman. The ride to Aunt May's was short, but still Peter dozed off. She felt terrible waking him up, but needed what little help he could provide to get him inside. Aunt May met her at the door a sobbing mess, ready with a warm towel and blankets. They laid him out on the couch where he promptly passed out again, and removed all of his clothes. Gwen looked away while he was stripped naked and Aunt May dried him off, and once he had dry boxers on she went back to helping to dry him off and redress him. For the first time, Gwen's caring for him didn't require her to wipe up any blood…just hope that he would be better after some rest. To be honest, she didn't know which one was more nerve-wracking.


	4. Benjamin

I really hope the last couple of chapters came out okay! If they didn't please please please let me know how I can make them better! This chapter is a little bit longer than the others, I hope you like it More action and excitement soon as well I promise

When awareness returned to Peter, nothing on his body wanted to work right. His arms and legs felt like lead, and the second he tried to move them it felt like knives were digging into his muscles. "What the hell?" he muttered to himself. Even his neck was too stiff to move. From what he could see in his peripherals, he was in his room…but he did not remember going to bed last night.

The young superhero clamped his eyes shut, trying to recall what would have caused the bone-deep ache in his body. After a moment, it all came rushing back at once. "Oh man…" he moaned, knowing that even if he was awake early enough, there was no way he was going to school. As it was, Peter was amazed no one had called the police for abuse or something…or connected the dots that his injuries always lined up with Spiderman's. Considering what happened last night, his state would be pretty hard to explain away.

"Peter?" a soft voice murmured through his door.

"Come in!" he called. The louder speech triggered a coughing fit, and he was grateful when his aunt entered the room with a water bottle and some pain meds.

As she helped him to drink, Aunt May looked him over carefully. "How are you feeling today?"

"Better than last night, that's for sure…" he murmured. She ran her fingers through his hair, and smiled when his eyes drifted shut with a soft hum of contentment. "I'm sorry if I worried you last night. How…how did I get up here? And…out of my suit?"

Aunt May chuckled softly. "Well, once we got you onto the couch, Gwen helped me strip you down. I dried you off, and redressed you, and we slowly but surely got you up the stairs and into bed." The blush on Peter's face was endearing. "She was very respectful of your privacy, dear."

Peter smiled sheepishly. "Is she okay?"

"Gwen is fine, just worried about you. She stayed here last night, and said that she would be back after school. She didn't want to miss taking down notes for the both of you." She paused for a moment, considering the girl. "She really is lovely, Peter." By the glint in his eyes, she knew without him having to say a word that he agreed. "Rest, sweetheart. I'll be back to check on you in a few hours."

Peter nodded, and nestled himself back into the pillow. "Thank you, Aunt May."

Gwen knocked on Peter's bedroom door gently before testing the knob. He called her in softly, so she twisted it and pushed it gently. Her first sight of her boyfriend had her rolling her eyes. "You are so stubborn…can't you just be still for once?"

The grimace twisting Peter's face as he pushed himself up on his elbows barely wavered when he grew still once more and met her gaze. "I've…been still for hours. If I don't start moving now I swear it feels like I won't ever move again. I didn't know that…everything could hurt at once," he mumbled dejectedly. Gwen picked up the glass from his desk and perched herself on the edge of the bed. He began to reach forward to take it from her, but she raised a challenging eyebrow at him. "Really?" he whined.

"Yes, really. You are going to stay still and let me mother hen you right now, because I had to sit through a disgustingly long day of school to make sure you got the notes that you needed. Lucky for you it's Friday and we don't have school for two days. I didn't get to do any real mother henning last night, so deal with it," she insisted as she raised the glass to his lips. He smirked and shook his head slightly before accepting he drink. She could tell by the rasp to his voice that his throat was hurting him, and the way his eyes closed and he drank deeply made her smile just a little bit. She knew that he was frustrated over his immobility and would forgive him his whiny behavior; one of the things that she loved about him was his stubborn determination to stay strong in any situation. It had earned him a few extra hits in school, as well as now as Spiderman. Any other kid their age would have freaked out and given up long ago.

When he finished drinking, Gwen returned the glass to the table and then sat back down on the edge of the bed. Peter watched her with an adoring smile on his face. "I don't deserve you," he murmured. Gwen leaned forward and pressed her forehead to his.

"Peter Parker, you are one of the most wonderful men I know…the other being my father. You are so selfless and heroic…you risk your life every night for complete strangers, knowing half of them want you locked up. You are brilliant and kind, and funny, and so adorably awkward sometimes…I think it's me who doesn't deserve you sometimes."

When he reached up with one hand to cradle her face gently, she compensated by bracing her hand against his shoulder blade carefully. She closed the gap between them before he could try, and pressed her lips against his. This kiss was gentler than the others they had shared, but it was filled with just as much passion. His mouth was soft and sweet against hers, his tongue dancing lazily across her lips until she granted him entrance. Gwen carefully pressed him back into the mattress, holding herself up to avoid putting pressure on his aching body. She couldn't tell if the moan that came from Peter was one of pain or pleasure; the answer was clear in the way he reached up and tugged her face back to his when she started to pull away. Both parties smiled, and Gwen pulled away firmly despite Peter's protests.

"Easy, Bug-Boy," she breathed, imitating the first time he'd come to her for help. Peter laughed and rested his head back for a moment. "Aunt May gave me some pain meds for you to take. How are you feeling?" She sat back so that she could get a good look at him.

The young man took the pills and water obediently, only wincing a little bit as he moved. "I'm getting there," he replied once he'd swallowed the medicine. "You should've seen me this morning when I first woke up…talk about brutal."

Gwen smiled wryly. "Aunt May told me about that. I'm really glad you heal fast, Peter…this whole thing could've turned out much differently. When I saw the bridge give out under you…I felt so lost. I had no idea what I was going to do without you…especially so soon after my father." Tears fought to surface, but Gwen pushed them back. Peter reached out and took her hand, squeezing it firmly, as if to reassure her that he was still there.

"I'm so sorry that you had to see that, Gwen. I'm so sorry that I put you in that position…I wish I could fix it. I wish I could promise-"

Gwen silenced him with a brief kiss. "I know what I'm getting myself into, I know what I have to be prepared for and that nothing is going to change that." She sighed heavily. "It doesn't make it any easier though, that's for sure." She pushed herself to her feet. "Do you want something to eat? Aunt May said you slept through breakfast and lunch, you must be starving."

Peter nodded. "Yeah, food sounds fantastic now that you mention it. Here, help me-"

"Absolutely not! I'll be right back you stubborn Neanderthal!" Gwen insisted before spinning and leaving him alone again. She rolled her eyes when she got to Aunt May. "I swear he is in denial of his own limitations. Is it okay if I make him a sandwich?"

Aunt May stood, shaking her head. "Let me…but I would love for you to keep me company." Gwen smiled warmly and nodded, following her into the kitchen and pulling a chair from the dining room to rest in the doorway so that they could chat. "I am so happy that Peter found you. Ben and I had been so worried about him…when this whole thing had started, he found information of his father's, and I was afraid he was going to let it consume him. As much as he has always loved and respected us, we always knew he wanted answers about his parents. Then…then somehow he developed these…abilities. I suspected that he was Spiderman early on…but it wasn't until that…terrible night that I knew for sure. Knowing that he has you to ground him is a great comfort to me," she murmured.

Gwen smiled. "It wasn't easy for us to get here…he had tried pushing me away for my own protection at first, but I'm glad he came to his senses. You should be very proud of who you raised him to be…Peter is a wonderful young man. There aren't too many like him in the world, and I'm referring to before his abilities." The two sat in companionable silence for a moment.

"So tell me, Gwen, what do you enjoy doing?"

"You mean when I'm not patching up your nephew?" she teased lightly, drawing a laugh from the older woman. "I work as an intern at Oscorp…I'm a huge science geek, much like Peter. Other than that, I love to read when Peter isn't knocking on my window because he's scared of the doorman," she explained.

"Hey, it's not my fault the guy is scary," Peter called from the hallway. Gwen and Aunt May stared at each other for a moment before abandoning their places in the kitchen to see Peter struggling to get down the stairs without falling. "Hi," he said sheepishly.

"Peter Benjamin Parker!" Aunt May scolded. Peter froze at the sound of his full name.

Gwen rushed up to him and wrapped his right arm around her shoulders to take his weight and lead him the rest of the way down and to the couch. "Are you _trying_ to break your neck? You haven't walked on your own since the attack and what, you think _oh, maybe it's a good idea to try the stairs when I can barely support my weight on my elbows_? Good Lord Peter you are insufferable!" She watched his pale face for a moment as he sunk down into the sofa, clearly tired from the exertion. "You forget that anyone else in your shoes would be dead by now," she added softly.

The young hero at least had the decency to look guilty. "I'm sorry…I'm goin' stir crazy up there and I'm feeling better than when I woke up, so I thought I'd give it a try. I'm not hurting as much anymore, just tired. I think after sleeping so much my healing kicked in more, it just took a few minutes after I woke up to feel it." He looked up to meet his girlfriend's gaze, and sighed at her raised eyebrow. "I'm okay, I promise…I'm sorry for scaring you both."

After a moment of remaining stern, Gwen relented, and leaned her head against his shoulder. Aunt May smiled at the sight of Peter kissing her hair and then resting his own head on hers, his body curling toward her as if instinctually. It reminded her of when she and Ben first met and fell in love, and the thought left a bittersweet ache in her chest. "Peter, you have a wonderful young lady who adores you. Cherish her and remember that she needs you to keep yourself alive and whole. Do you understand me?" The young couple both flushed with shy smiles, and Peter nodded. The adoration in his eyes when he looked down at the girl in his arms told her that her point was made very clearly, and the thought made her feel very peaceful.

So, apparently when I get tired I tend to switch randomly to present tense. I think I caught all of it but if you see any that doesn't belong let me know!


	5. Spidey Sense

Once again, thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! I can't promise that the updates will come as quickly all the time but I'm gonna try!

((Special thanks to Bird That Flies At Dawn for catching a mistake for me in the last chapter! I don't have a beta so any corrections are hugely appreciated!))

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Gwen was surprised to see Peter in school on time the next day. He looked a little bit worse for wear, but most people wouldn't notice it. She saw the minor wince that twisted his lips when he slung his backpack over his shoulder, and how his movements were still stiff and slow. He looked much better than he had the day before, and his fast healing never ceased to amaze her, but she still wished that he would've stayed in bed another day.

"Hey Bug Boy," she breathed into his ear as he sat on a lunch table. She watched the affectionate smile cross his lips as she moved to stand in front of him. He snagged her hand and intertwined their fingers.

"Careful, you don't want to give me away," he reprimanded playfully.

Gwen raised an eyebrow as he pulled her close and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She refused to let him know how much the fact that his legs were draped on either side of her own and his breath was dancing across her cheek made her heart race, so she raised an eyebrow at him. "What, are your _spidey senses_ alerting you to some big bad here in the courtyard?"

Peter laughed aloud at that. "Spidey senses?" he questioned, struggling to keep his voice low. Gwen nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yeah! You know, that feeling you get when something's wrong?" The young man simply shook his head with a smile and slid his hand into her hair to pull her in for a kiss. Gwen allowed herself to revel in the sensation briefly, before pushing him back. "Peter, what are you doing here?"

He dropped his gaze to the ground and shrugged noncommittally, some of his natural awkward-teenager movement returning. "I'm feeling a lot better today. Besides, laying in bed all day when a guy like Volt is out there is making me go crazy. I've gotta figure out what his deal is…what happened on the bridge was directed at _me_," he replied in a hushed tone.

"What are you talking about?"

"It was a test…he said he had big plans for the city and wanted either me out of the way or to be able to prepare to deal with me whenever he initiates this plan of his."

Gwen's eyes widened. "And what, you think you're going to go out there looking for him? Tonight? Peter, you aren't completely healed from your last run in with this guy…you can't risk facing him again until you've got full mobility back!"

Peter's eyes darted around to make sure no one was listening as her voice grew louder. "Gwen, I can't just sit around and wait for him to show his face again. He almost killed a bus full of _middle school kids_ to get to _me,_" he insisted, his eyes pleading for her to understand.

"He almost killed _you too_, Peter!" she hissed desperately, before her emotions began to overcome her and she turned away.

"Hey, hey hey heyhey," he murmured, grabbing her shoulders gently. He turned her body back around to face him, but had to lift her chin with his knuckles to catch her gaze once more. The sheen of tears in her eyes broke his heart. "I'm going to be careful tonight, okay? Nothing crazy, just searching for some information to help me find him. I promise. Okay?"

Gwen stared into his eyes, finding nothing but sincerity and adoration in their chocolate depths, and sighed. "Fine. But will you come by my window first?" The grin that spread across her boyfriend's face at the request made her heart flutter. His enthusiastic nodding made her laugh, and he pulled her against his chest firmly and captured her lips with his own. The bell ringing to signal their next class starting forced them to pull apart.

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Peter tapped on Gwen's window with his gloved knuckles. She looked up and smiled right away. He slid the window up and ducked into the room, and was immediately met with Gwen's hands pulling off his mask and then her lips on his own. He smiled against her lips, and wrapped his arms around her waist. This was definitely something that he was getting used to; the young woman in his arms never failed to make his heart skip a beat and the thought of staying away from her and losing this seemed so crazy to him. After a moment of being lost in the taste of her, and the feel of her hands roaming along his abs, chest and shoulders through his skin-tight spandex suit, Peter pulled away. Both teens were left breathless.

"Don't go, Peter…please," Gwen begged. He dropped his forehead against hers, but she stepped away and sagged onto her mattress. The mask twisted between her fingers and she sighed heavily. "I understand that you have a duty to protect people…but just this once can you stay here?"

"G-Gwen…looklooklook, like I said before, I have…I have to find out what this guy is planning to do before he hurts someone," he explained desperately. Any other day his nervous stuttering would be endearing as usual, but today she just wanted him to stop talking and stay with her. He knelt before her slowly, and she turned her gaze to meet his. "Gwen, I thought you were okay with me going out tonight? I told you it's nothing exciting…just to get some information."

"I was," she murmured, running a hand through her hair in exasperation. "I was…but I can't shake this bad feeling."

Peter pushed himself up to her level and cupped her face with both of his hands. "I'm the one with spidey sense not you, remember?" he teased lightly. Gwen couldn't help but laugh, and Peter kissed her gently. "It's going to be okay, I promise. I'll text you as soon as I get home, okay?" She nodded with a resigned sigh. Peter rose smoothly to his feet and kissed her hair. "I'll be careful."

The night was relatively quiet for New York City. Peter hadn't seen any crimes in his quest for information, but he hadn't found any leads either. Since the incident on the bridge (he _really_ hated those…) no new information had come out regarding Volt. He had hunted through news reports, listened to his police scanner, and even talked to people on the streets (though that only lasted for a few minutes, considering the second people saw him in his uniform walking the streets, they wanted pictures or autographs). Nothing had seemed to come up other than that first attack. It was frustrating; dread of what this new villain had planned for the City was beginning to weigh him down, but he refused to give up.

As he came around a corner, the hair on the back of Peter's neck began to stand on end. _Spidey senses_ he thought to himself with a wry smile, hoping he wasn't about to break his promise to Gwen. As he approached a building to his left, the sense grew stronger and stronger, so he entered it slowly.

The building was a dark, old abandoned warehouse with plenty of corners for Volt to hide around. He was looking around when the warning bells went off in his head and he knew that he'd found what he was looking for. He waited until the last second before ducking, and narrowly avoided Volt's crackling whip. He immediately shot his web at a far corner and swung out of the immediate danger.

"Well well, I have to say, I'm impressed. I thought for sure you were dead. It looks like I might have my work cut out for me here," Volt called to him from the ground. Peter watched him warily from the highest spot he could find.

"Yeah, I'm a lot more resilient than you think. Whatever you're planning…isn't going to work," Peter growled. Volt chuckled.

"Oh, but I think it will. Now that I have you where I want you, it will work spectacularly." The confidence in his voice and the smirk on his face made Peter uneasy.

The sudden sharp sting in his shoulder made him really, _really _nervous. The young hero looked down at his arm, saw the small dart embedded through his suit and in his skin, and then looked down at the villain below him. The small device in his hand was easy to miss without knowing that it was there…unfortunately that meant he was breaking his promise to Gwen. "_Damnit_," he breathed as his limbs grew heavy and he slipped out of consciousness.


	6. Missing

Updates might be slowing down a bit…schoolwork is kicking my butt right now so I've gotta catch up! But I'm going to try to keep posting regularly, I promise!

Thank you, as always, for the wonderful reviews and the alerts and favorites! You guys are wonderful!

When awareness began to return to Peter, he knew without a doubt that he was in big trouble. It took a moment to remember what happened because his mind was so foggy, but when he did his attention turned to his surroundings. The first thing that made him anxious was the fact that sunlight was streaming through the broken windows of the same warehouse he'd been in last night. _Maybe Gwen has her own spidey senses after all_, Peter thought wryly to himself. She would no doubt be worrying sick about him after he didn't text her.

The second thing that worried him was the fact that his hands and feet were bound behind his back with something solid…thicker than handcuffs. He wouldn't be able to break out of them as easily as he did the handcuffs when Captain Stacey had caught him. This guy had already shown how he could get the better of the young superhero, and the idea of being incapable of defending himself gave Peter an overwhelming sense of dread. His web shooters were also gone.

"Good morning!" Volt called from the entrance of the warehouse. He was still out of Peter's view, but the sound of his footsteps echoed loudly as he approached. Once he came into view, Peter felt his entire body tense. "Did you sleep well?" he taunted.

"Oh yeah, this chair is so comfortable, and my arms are loving this new position, thanks," Peter drawled sarcastically. Volt stepped up to him, and knelt to his eye level.

"I was so hoping you would enjoy it," the villain responded. He reached up towards the top of Peter's head, and the young man jerked his head to the side and away from the hand looking to strip his mask. "Why so shy?"

"Get the hell away from me!" Peter growled. Volt chuckled at him, and extended the vine-like appendage to wrap around his throat below his mask. Peter tried to twist away again, despite knowing its futility, and was rewarded with a surge of electricity that drove a groan from his lungs. He clenched his jaw and felt the pain branch out across his entire body as Volt reached up again, and pulled his mask off.

Volt grinned like a maniac at the murderous look in Peter's eyes. "Oh, so young…so arrogant…so foolish." He stepped back, finally releasing Peter from the electric grip as well. The teen sagged forward briefly, allowing his eyes to drift close as he fought back the lingering pain and cursing the fact that he was helpless to stop Volt from seeing his true identity. "I know your face."

Peter's eyes snapped back up to the man before him. "What?"

"I saw you trying to go see that Stacey girl one day…the police chief's daughter. But the doorman wouldn't let you in. Such a tragedy about the chief, by the way," he sneered. Peter's heart began to pound. _He knows of my connection to Gwen!_ "Is that your girlfriend or something?"

"No! I was supposed to be getting some tutoring from her, that's all!" he growled. The passion behind his voice made the madman before him grin evilly.

"Oh, I don't think so," he replied. Peter struggled against his bindings. "I think I'll pay her a visit."

Peter struggled even harder, ignoring the pain in his wrists. "She thinks I'm dead!" he insisted, trying to come up with anything to get him to leave her alone. "I had to lay low for a while to recover and I couldn't call her so she thinks I'm dead! Leave her out of this!"

"Oh, but I know just what to do, and it is going to be so much fun! Once I am done having my fun with you, I am going to wrangle up your little girlfriend and anyone else that I can find that is important to you. I'll let you have your little reunion with her, and then I'm going to kill her while you watch, helpless." Rage boiled inside of Peter until he was sure he would explode. How this lunatic even saw him at her building he had no idea, but knowing that this guy would likely follow through with this threat of his terrified him. He should've left Gwen alone, like he'd promised her father.

"If you touch her-"

"You'll what? Shoot some web at me? Kid, you are bound to a chair. You can't lift a finger to stop me." As if to prove his point, Volt stepped forward and punched the teen hard in the stomach.

Peter groaned, but then laughed. "Is that the best you've got? I used to get worse than this from the school bully," he mocked. The vine wrapped around his chest and arms, and he struggled to stay silent when electricity once again shot through his body. The intensity of the shock increased rapidly until he couldn't hold back a ragged cry, and his head sagged forward weakly.

"Don't…mock…me…boy!" Volt growled angrily, watching Peter's body twitch against the current until he no longer struggled. "I guess we'll just have to continue this when you wake up again."

Gwen knocked on the door to Peter's house hesitantly. She was scared of Aunt May opening the door and confirming her fears…something had happened to Peter and he wasn't home, or he was hurt.

When she saw the older woman's face Gwen's heart dropped into her stomach. Clearly she wasn't the only one worrying for the young hero. "Oh, God…"

"Come inside," Aunt May murmured. "You haven't heard from him either?"

"No…I was hoping that he was here. He came to see me yesterday before he went out, and promised me he'd be careful…but he never let me know that he made it home safe last night and then never showed up in school today. I haven't seen anything on the news, either…no signs of him or of that guy that attacked him on the bridge." Gwen dropped heavily onto the couch, holding her head in her hands.

"I am afraid to call the police…because they are still so wary of him, but he hasn't answered my calls and hasn't come home. I have no idea what to do."

"I don't know that we can do anything right now…I can go walk around the city for a while, see if I can find a sign of him somewhere." Gwen pushed to her feet again and headed for the door, feeling suddenly suffocated by the normally-cozy house. Aunt May stood as well, but Gwen was too far to stop her. "I will let you know if I find him…I'm so sorry, Aunt May," the girl breathed before rushing out the door.

Gwen fought to hold her tears back as she walked throughout the city. The sun would be going down soon, and as such she knew she had to head home. Peter was missing, and as such Spiderman was missing, so her being out in the city at night would be too risky. "Oh, Peter…where are you…"

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Peter rolled his neck carefully, trying to work out the kinks caused by the way his body tensed when Volt shocked him. He noticed that the sun was beginning to set. Gwen and Aunt May would be beyond worried about him by now, but there was nothing that he could do to let them know that he was still alive. Or warn Gwen that Volt was targeting her next. He continued to struggle uselessly against the shackles, cutting into his wrists until they bled. His captor was gone for the moment, and while he didn't outright say where he was going, it was pretty clear.

The sound of someone coming in to the warehouse made him freeze. His heart leapt into his throat; either Volt was back with Gwen, or someone else had decided to check out the abandoned building and was about to get a clear view of the true identity of Spider Man.

When the intruder finally came around the corner, a myriad of emotions hit the young man so hard he felt dizzy, and found that his voice was stuck in his throat.


	7. Familiar

Wow, you guys are spectacular. All of the encouragement means so much to me, thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy this as much as I do!

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Peter was staring at a ghost. The man that had run into the warehouse was someone he'd only recently seen in pictures and newspaper articles…but that face had been forever burned into his memory the last night he'd ever seen him. Not much had changed; a few more wrinkles and a lot more gray hairs differentiated this version of his father from the one in his memory, but it was definitely still his father nonetheless. The older man met his gaze, and shock filled his eyes. Peter opened his mouth, still too shocked to speak.

"You…you're just a kid!" Richard exclaimed, momentarily stunned. The words stung Peter, though he knew it was foolish to expect his father to recognize him from the little kid he'd been when his parents left.

"H-how did you…" Peter paused and cleared his throat, hating the way that his voice cracked. It was _not_ the time for his emotions to get the better of him. "How did you know that I was here?"

Richard shook off the surprise, and stepped behind Peter. The teen hissed in a breath through his teeth when his father unlatched the shackles from his wrists, aggravating the wounds his struggling had caused. "I've been tracking you for a couple of weeks, studying your…abilities," the older Parker responded hesitantly.

Peter chuckled, trying to sound as casual as possible. "Well _that's_ not at all weird," he muttered.

"They are incredible, to say the least…but they are also familiar," Richard continued with a smile as he moved back around to free Peter's feet. "How did you get them?"

Peter stood, and turned out to be almost the same height as his father. "Look, as much as I'd love to stay here and chat, I've got to stop Volt before he hurts someone," Peter insisted. Richard nodded, and grabbed Peter's mask and web shooters from a table behind the chair. "Thank you."

"I know where he went," Richard offered. Peter nodded as he pulled on the mask, and followed his father at a jog back out to the street, ignoring the throbbing in his wrists.

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"Oh, Peter, where are you…" Gwen sighed as she came to a stop on the corner of a quiet side street. No one had seen or heard from their resident masked vigilante, and the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach was only growing stronger.

"Who is it that you're looking for, dear?" a deep voice questioned from behind her. Gwen spun around, and gasped.

"I know who you are…stay away from me!" she growled, backing towards a busier section. If this man had somehow figured out who Spiderman was, he might know who she was. "What have you done to Spiderman?"

Volt chuckled, and stepped forward. He reached out to stroke her cheek with the back of his hand but she slapped it away. "He's nice and comfortable, don't you worry. You'll get to see him again soon." When he reached for her again, Gwen kicked out at him and connected solidly with his knee. He yelped against the sudden pain and she took her opportunity to run. "Nice try, blondie!" Volt whipped his tentacle out to grab her wrist and spin her back. Gwen struggled against the vicelike grip, but she couldn't match his strength.

"Ya know, you might want to be more careful about letting anyone see you when you kidnap someone," a new voice called from behind Volt. Gwen's heart leapt into her throat, and Volt cursed under his breath. "It'd be in your best interest to let the girl go."

Gwen couldn't help a small yelp when Volt threw her hard at Peter. Her masked boyfriend caught her, looked her over quickly, and passed her into the hands of someone she hadn't noticed before that moment. When she looked up at the man helping to steady her, Gwen gasped. She knew that face from her time working with Dr. Connors…it was the man responsible for…well…both sides of her boyfriend. He was supposed to be dead!

"Are you okay?" he questioned softly. Gwen nodded, speechless. She turned her head to look at Peter, but he was distracted by the villain. Instinctively she took a step forward, but Richard wrapped his arms around her to keep her in place.

The fight was brief, but brutal. It was clear that Volt was angry with Peter's escape, and his movements were controlled by his rage. Peter looked like he had adopted his alter-ego's confidence easily, and was dodging hits smoothly. It wasn't until Volt turned to lunge at Gwen and Richard that he got sloppy and took a hit, having allowed himself to get distracted. Gwen tensed, but Peter brushed it off easily and lured him further away. Again Richard restrained her from following, so all she could do was watch. Peter used a lamppost to slingshot at Volt as hard as he could and send the crook flying hard into the side of a building.

Between the hit and Peter's webbing holding him in place, Gwen realized that he wouldn't be moving for a while, and that it was probably the best time for them to leave. Peter seemed to recognize the same thing, and headed back to them. Richard finally loosened his grip. As the young hero returned to her, he stumbled and had to catch himself on the wall. "Peter!" she breathed unintentionally, shoving herself away from Richard and running to her boyfriend.

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Knowing that Gwen was running to him, Peter eased himself clumsily back against the brick building he'd used to catch himself. Between the minor puncture wound caused by Volt's damned tentacle, hunger and dehydration, he was feeling pretty woozy. When she reached him, she looked around for a moment before pulling his mask off. "I'm okay…I'm okay," he murmured, bracing himself by holding her hips.

"This doesn't look like okay…you have been _missing_ for a _day_ and you just almost collapsed!"

Peter smiled at her tiredly, and pulled her in for a kiss. "Hey, let me put it this way…this isn't nearly as bad as when I first came to you to patch me up. I'm just a little weak…you know how teenage guys get when they haven't eaten." Gwen laughed as tears filled her eyes, so Peter wrapped her in his arms and pulled her close. "I'm sorry that I scared you."

"Next time you'll listen to me?"

Peter smiled against her hair. "Yeah, seems like you've got your own spidey senses."

"Peter…your father…"

The young man suddenly remembered that there was another person…that the stranger breaking him out hadn't been a dream. Not letting go of Gwen, Peter looked over to the man now standing a few yards away, staring at him as if dazed. He didn't speak, waiting for his father to make the first move.

"P-Peter?" Richard stuttered. The young man nodded, feeling anxiety and uncertainty settle into his bones. Richard took in the sight of his son, clothed in a skin-tight suit, as if looking at him for the first time. "My God…you?"

"I'm Spiderman," he replied with a shaky laugh. Gwen stepped back, leaving no barrier between father and son, finally allowing her tears to fall at the sight of a reunion too many years in the making. Peter's step forward was timid, but Richard closed the space in case his son was still shaky. His own trembling hands reached up to cup Peter's face, and both of them fought back tears. "It's been a long time, Dad."

Richard pulled Peter against his chest, hugging him with all of his might. Gwen smiled as tears fell from each set of eyes. "Too long, Peter. Too damn long."


	8. Too Little

I was just reading my original idea for this story, and I cracked myself up with how much I have changed it. There are some things that I'm trying to decide whether or not I want to include them anyway, but I'm not quite sure how to work it out :-/ Maybe it'll just flow while I'm writing this chapter ;)

PS: I am SO sorry that this took so long! Really bad writer's block, and then I got sick so I've been uninterested in anything that requires effort the past few days ;) I hope this makes up for it!

Not mine, as usual. Boo.

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"Look, it's not safe to go back to your houses, you'll only be putting your families at risk. I've got an apartment with an extra room, maybe you two should come back to my place and lay low," Richard suggested, his voice timid as if he were afraid of rejection. He looked over at his son, who was leaning against him for support for his weak legs as they moved away from where Peter had Volt bound. He couldn't read his son's face through the mask, but just looking at what his son had become was so new and strange to him.

"Yeah…that's a good idea," Peter replied softly, looking Gwen's direction for confirmation. The young blonde nodded feebly. "We've gotta come up with a story, though…Aunt May is going to freak out when I call her and tell her I'm not coming home yet after I've been missing."

Gwen smiled. "Oh yeah, she's going to kill you."

Richard had so many things he wanted to talk about with Peter, but knew it would have to wait until they were safe and Peter was patched up and re-nourished. "My place is only a couple of blocks this way."

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When they arrived at the apartment, Peter looked around and felt a twist of disappointment in his stomach. This place had clearly been lived in for a while. Gwen helped him inside and eased him down on the sofa, taking the mask off so that he could breathe easier. The young hero didn't waste any time in stripping down his suit to his waist, revealing the still-bleeding puncture wound that was more nuisance than any real trouble.

"Do you have a first aid kit?" Gwen asked Richard. The older Parker nodded silently, left the room and returned quickly with the kit. Gwen took it from him with a sympathetic smile. "Can you make something for him to eat while I patch him up? It's kind of become our ritual," she murmured. Richard nodded, and left them alone in the living room without a word.

"I love a girl who will take charge," Peter teased lightly as she prepped an alcohol swab. As she ran it gently over the wound, Peter dropped his head back and groaned. "This is always the worst part," he whined. Gwen tried to hide a smile at his over-exaggerated complaint.

"You take getting shot in the thigh like a real champ, but you can't handle this little thing? Like you said, this is nothing compared to anything you've gotten before. Even that gash on your arm was worse than this!"

"Hey, cut me some slack, I have had no food or drink in a day," he defended, his voice light and playful despite the wince that crossed his face. After a moment of just staring at Gwen, he sobered. "I can't believe it's really him…"

"You guys have a lot of catching up to do, and plenty of time to do it while you recover," Gwen murmured. "It might be best if I-"

"Oh no, you are _not_ going anywhere!" Peter insisted. "First of all, it's not safe for you to go home right now. Second of all, _please don't leave me…I have no idea what to say or do_."

Gwen was silent for a moment as she secured a clean, dry piece of gauze over the wound. "Okay. I'll stay. I don't know if I'm willing to let you out of my sight anytime soon anyway. God, Peter…I've never been so scared in my life…Aunt May and I had no idea what to do, where to even begin looking."

Peter leaned forward and captured Gwen's lips in a searing kiss. He poured his affection, his sincerity, and his heart into it, hoping to convey how sorry he was for making her worry. "I love you, Gwen Stacey."

Tears filled Gwen's eyes as he gently cradled her face in his hands. "I love you too, Peter Parker."

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Richard parker braced himself against his counter, struggling to maintain his composure. His son, the little boy who'd play hide and seek and beg for stories of heroes and adventures, had become a hero himself. He knew without a doubt now that somehow, his research at Oscorp was responsible for the changes within his son, but would have to wait for the full story to understand what happened. After following Spiderman for as long as he did, it amazed Richard that he'd never picked up on the fact that he was just a kid. Nothing in the way he'd moved had suggested that he was a teenager.

After missing years of his life, Richard wasn't sure Peter would welcome him back in so easily. He'd seen the articles; faking his and Mary's deaths had been a difficult move, in more ways than one. Tricking their family-more importantly, their son-into believing they were gone forever meant never getting to see how Peter would grow up. Until now. "Oh, Mary's going to kill me," he breathed, running his hands through his hair. It was bad enough they hadn't been there when Ben was killed…but now, the early actions of the masked vigilante made perfect sense, knowing the description of Ben's killer.

Richard peeked around the doorway and saw Peter kissing the girl, _Gwen_ if he had heard correctly, and smiled to himself. There was so much catching up that he had to do. He watched as Peter used his girlfriend's cell phone, presumably to call his aunt. The teen smiled affectionately, whispering into the phone that he would explain everything later.

Shaking his head, the older Parker rustled through the kitchen and put together some food and grabbed a glass of water for his son. _Not getting any catching up done in here, Parker_. When he re-entered the living room, Gwen was on the phone, presumably speaking to her family. Peter looked up, and a shy, guarded look filled his eyes that hadn't been present any of the times he'd seen his son's face before.

"H-here…eat," Richard murmured. Peter took the plate of food with a grateful smile, downed the glass of water, which Richard immediately went to refill, and by the time he'd returned half of the food was gone. "Easy, Peter, you'll make yourself sick if you eat that too fast," he insisted with a smile. The teen looked up at him sheepishly, and slowed his chewing. Gwen giggled. Richard watched his son for a moment before sitting down in the chair across from the sofa. "There is a lot that I have to tell you, Peter. A lot that we have to tell each other, it seems," he commented, looking pointedly at the mask next to his son on the couch. Peter chewed his food silently, only nodding. "First and foremost…I want you to know that leaving you has been the hardest thing that your mother and I have ever done." Richard held up his hand when Peter's eyes brightened at the mention of his mother. "She is doing research on Volt…she wasn't prepared to come here knowing we were going to be staying away from you." He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "We had to fake our deaths in order to protect you. We had started to receive threats against you and your aunt and uncle, by people who wanted my research. We didn't know what else to do…after everything we'd learned working with Curt, we couldn't erase all of it and they wouldn't stop unless they thought the research was lost, with us. When Spiderman first made the news, we knew that somehow the research had come to light. I came here to track…well, you, and make sure you weren't hurting people. I developed an antidote, so to speak, to suppress the abilities. Peter, I think you should-"

"No, _absolutely_ not. I have a responsibility to the people of New York now…you don't get to come around after being gone for so long and telling me that you want to take all of this away," Peter growled, pushing himself to his feet abruptly.

Gwen jumped up as well when her boyfriend swayed. "Peter!" she gasped, reaching for him at the same time as his father. The girl gave the elder Parker a pointed look, reminding him that Peter wasn't his greatest fan at the moment. She grabbed Peter's elbow and tugged him back to the sofa, pushing him back with a hand to his bare chest. "We don't need you passing out on us, relax."

"You are seventeen years old! You're just a kid!" Richard exclaimed. "You don't have a responsibility to them!"

"A _kid_?! _You_ are the reason that I'm _like this_! Who the hell are _you _to judge me after you _abandoned _me?! You don't know _anything_ about me…you don't know why I do the things that I do." Gwen squeezed Peter's hand. Whether to comfort or quiet him, neither teen was sure.

Richard stared at his son, a feeling of guilt washing over him. Clearly Peter had been through more than any teen should experience, most of which was thanks to his own father. Instead of allowing it to turn him angry and rebellious, though, his son had turned around and become the hero protecting New York City. To say that it didn't hurt Richard to recognize how little he personally influenced Peter would be a lie; clearly Ben and May did something very right in raising a child that was not their own.


End file.
